Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate circulating and intracellular levels of Th1 and Th2 cytokines in women with threatened miscarriage (TM) and subsequent outcome.
Study design: Plasma levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-receptors 1 and 2, TNFα, interferon gamma (IFNγ), and interleukins (IL) -6 and -10 were measured by flow cytometric bead assays in 80 women with TM: 53 women with normal outcome and 27 women who miscarried. Fluorescent antibody labeling was also performed on whole blood in a subgroup of 27 women of TM: 16 women with normal outcome and 11 women who miscarried.
Results: Monocyte expression of TNFα and circulating levels of TNFα, IFNγ, IL-10, IL-6, and TNF-R1 were significantly lower, whereas circulating levels of TNFα/IL-10, IFNγ/IL-10, and TNFα/IL-6 ratios were significantly higher, in women with TM who subsequently miscarried, compared with the women with normal outcome.
Conclusion: An increased Th1 type of immune response, which was similar to that observed in preterm delivery, was found in TM cases that were complicated by a subsequent miscarriage.
Copyright © 2011. Published by Mosby, Inc.